Harvesting machine



April 24, 1945.

E. M. BELL HARVESTING-MACHINE Filed June 23, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l I I h April 24, 1945. E. M. BELL HARVESTING MACHINE Filed June 23, v1.943 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 24, 1945.

HARVESTING MACHINE E. M. BELL 2,374,162

Filed June 23, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I a g )2 Inventor Attorneys Patented Apr. 24, 1945 .c a

f 3 62 Y p neavssrmo-Meomss r ElmerM- rfi la izy l Application June 23', 1943, Serial No 491,937 a 7 teams. (.01..5s-- 12s The present invention relates to new'and useful improvements in pea and bean'harvesters and has for one of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a machine of this character comprising novel means" for separating the peas or beans from thehulls and vines.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a peaor bean harvester of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still furtherobjects and advantages of the invention will-become apparent from a study of the following Specif ca- 'tion,v taken in connection-with theiaccompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference .designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein-- 1 Figure l is a top plan view of'a harvestercon structed in accordance with the presentinvention.v

Figure 2 is a view in bottom plan of thefrear portion of the device.

Figure 3 is a view in rear elevation of the machine. a

Figure 4 is a view in vertical longitudinal section, taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 1. 7 l

Figure 5 is a view in horizontal section through the rear portion of the machine.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially n the line 6-6 of Figure l.

Figure 'I is a view in horizontal section through the front portion of the machine, looking downwardly.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises an axle I having fixed on its end portions supporting wheels 2. A housing 3 is provided for the axle I. Suitable draft means 4 is provided on the housing 3.

Also mounted on the housing 3 and extending bar 8 which is fixeddiametrically in the cylinaers;

Forwardly of conveyor!) is fixed on the'sha'ft I for operation in the cylinder 'Bea'ters' l0. are fixed on the shaft -I re'arwardly"off the stationary cutter 8.

rearwardly therefrom is an inclined cylinder 5 of suitable length and diameter. Extending forwardly and downwardly from the cylinder 5 is a pair of diverging vine lifters 6. mounted centrally in the cylinder 5 and operatively connected by suitable gears tothe axle i for actuation thereby. The shaft I is journaled, at an intermediate point, in a stationary cutter A shaft I is Also fixed on the shaft 'L'between'the members 9' and Ill, is a rotating cuttefr II which coact's with the stationary cutter 8 for shearing the vines, Another worm conveyoril is fixed on the shaft '7'- rearwardlybf the heaters 'III. I The worm conveyors S'a'nd' H are toothed or roughened, as

j The lowerfr'ear portion of the cylinder -5 has formed thereina longitudinally extending-open ing I4; inwhich-sp'aced; parallelbars- I5 are providedjf p iie oingn riiftbe cylinder ,5; below the forward portioniof t he opening [4, is ahopper lfiffromjwhich a discharge neck or tube H; depen -f i u wa and re w rd y I c d blower IB is mountedin the lower front portion of the hopper 1'6. fflhe'blowerj I8 may be driven 'by any suitable conventional means (not shown).

"Pivotally mounted, at an intermediate point, below the cylinder 5 forwardly of thehopper. I6, is a lever I9; The lever l9 extends into the hopper I 6 and is provided, on its rear end, with tines 20 which are operable in the lower portion of the cylinder 5 between the bars I5. An upstanding cam 2| is fixed on the forward end portion of the lever I9 and extends upwardly into the lower portion of the cylinder 5 for engagement and actuation by the worm conveyor I2 A 0011' spring 22 is connected to the lever I9 foryieldingly urging the cam- 2| upwardly. The elements l9 to 22, inclusive, constitute what may be considered a shaker which is designated generally by reference numeral 23.

Hingedly mounted in the upper portion of the cylinder 5for swinging movement in a vertical plane adjacent the rear end of the worm conveyor I2 is a pressure plate 24. A coil spring 25 yieldingly resists rearward swinging movement of the plate 24.

It is thought that the operation of the machine. will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the machine travels over the ground with the Wheels 2 straddling the row to be harvested. The vines are lifted into the forward end portion of the cylin cler 5 by the members 6. These vines are severed by the forward end portion of the worm conveyor I3 and moves rearwardly'thereby. The toothed or roughened surfaces of the worm conveyor I3 thestationarycutter 8, a worm remove the hulls from the peas or beans and the vines are chopped by the coacting cutters 8 and H. The heaters l0. also the worm conveyor l2, further separate the hulls, vines, and peas or beans, the latter dropping between the bars 15 into the hopper l6. These peas or beans may be sacked by attaching a bag to the discharge neck l7. As the worm conveyor l2 rotates, the shaker 23 is actuated thereby for assisting in separatingthe peas or beans and causing them to dropinto the hopper iii. The blower l8 drives the chaff, hulls, etc., which enter the hopper 46, out through an opening 26 in the rear of said hopper. The plate 24 compresses the vines as they leave the worm conveyor l2 and are forced rearwardly thereby. Handles, wheels, or other suitable means (not shown) may be provided for supporting the rear end of the inclined cylinder It is believed that the many advantages of a pea or bean harvester constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is: I A n I g I 1. A harvesting machine comprising a cylinder open at its ends, supporting Wheels on one end of the cylinder, vine lifters on said one end. of the cylinder, a shaft rotatable longitudinally the cylinder and operatively connected to the wheels for actuation thereby, worm conveyors fixed on the shaft at longitudinally spaced points, heaters on the shaftbetween the worm conveyors, vine chopping means in the cylinder between the boaters and the forwardmost worm conveyor, and means rearwardly of the rear worm conveyor for separating peas or-beans from the vines.

2, A harvester of thecharacter described com prising an inclined cylinder open at its ends, supporting wheels for the lower end of the cylinder, a shaft operable longitudinally in the cylinder, means operatively connecting said shaft to the wheels for actuation thereby, a worm conveyor fixed on the shaft for rotation in the cylinder, a hopper depending from the cylinder, a lever pivotally mounted beneath the cylinder, tines on one end of the lever and operable in the cylinder for separating peas or beans from the hulls and vines, and a cam on the other end of the lever operable by the worm conveyor for actuating said lever. 3. A harvesting machine of the class described comprising a longitudinal inclined cylinder open at its ends, supporting wheels for the forward end of the cylinder, a shaft rotatable longitudinally in the cylinder and operatively connected to the wheels for actuation thereby, a worm conveyor fixed on the shaft, the cylinder having a longitudinally elongated opening in its lower portion rearwardly of the worm conveyor, a discharge hopper depending from the cylinder beneath the forward portion of the opening, and a shaker operable in the cylinder through the opening, said shaker including a cam operable by the worm conveyor for actuating said shaker.

v 4. A harvesting machine of the character described comprising a housing, an axle journaled in the housing, supporting wheels fixed on said axle, a, longitudinal inclined cylinder having its forward end mounted on the housing, said cylinder open at its ends, a longitudinal shaft in the cylinder operatively connected to the axle for actuation thereby, said cylinder for the reception of pea and bean vines, lifters on the forward end of the cylinder for directing the vines thereinto, worm conveyors fixed on the shaft at longitu'clinaily spaced points, beating and chopping means on the shaft between the worm conveyors,

means in the cylinder cooperable with the rear Worm conveyor for compressing the vines, and a shaker in the cylinder operable by said rear worm conveyor for separating the peas from the hulls and vines.

ELMER M. BELL. 

